CHEYENNE INDIANS IN WYOMING

CHEYENNE INDIANS IN WYOMING SPEAK ALGONQUIN AND ARE ACTUALLY TWO NATIONS. THE SUTAIO AND THE TSITSISPAIS. THEY BRANCHED OFF OTHER TRIBES IN PRESENT DAY MINNESOTA ABOUT 1500 A.D.. IN HISTORIC TIMES THEY MIGRATED WEST ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND INTO NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA. IN THE 19TH CENTURY THE CHEYENNE FORMED A UNIQUE AUTHORITY WITH RITUAL CEREMONIES. THEY SETTLED IN THE BLACK HILLS OF SOUTH DAKOTA AND MONTANA AND WERE INTRODUCED TO THE HORSE IN 1730.

THEY FORMED INTO 10 BANDS ACROSS THE PLAINS FROM SOUTH DAKOTA TO COLORADO. THEY DANCED THE SUN DANCE. SOME BANDS BEGAN TO SPLIT. SOME BANDS CHOSE TO REMAIN NEAR THE BLACK HILLS.

THE NORTHERN CHEYENNE, CALLED NOTAMEO-HMESEHESES, MEANS NORTHERN EATERS. TODAY THEY LIVE IN NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION IN SOUTHEAST MONTANA. THEY HAVE ABOUT 4000 PEOPLE.

THE SOUTHERN CHEYENNE MEANS "ROPED PEOPLE" TOGETHER WITH THE SOUTHERN ARAPAHO. THEY HAVE FEDERAL RECOGNITION IN WESTERN OKLAHOMA. THEY HAVE ABOUT 12,000 FOLKS INCLUDING ARAPAHO. THEY HAVE INTERMARRIED SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE THE TRIBES.

THE CHEYENNE NATION'S 2 TRIBES HAD ALWAYS TRAVELED TOGETHER. THE CHEYENNE OF MONTANA AND OKLAHOMA SPEAK CHEYENNE. ONLY A HANDFUL OF FOLKS KNOW HOW THESE TWO TRIBES DIFFER.

THE EARLIEST HISTORICAL RECORD IS A GROUP OF CHEYENNE VISITING A FRENCH FORT NEAR CHICAGO IN 1650'S. THEY WERE DRIVEN FROM THIS AREA BY ASSIMBOINE, THE MOST PROMINENT OF THE ANCIENTS. CHEYENNE VILLAGE IS IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA ALONG THE CHEYENNE RIVER. THEY ADOPTED PATTERNS OF THE MANDAN HIDATSA AND ARIKARA NATIONS. THE LAKOTA TOOK OVER CHEYENNE LAND IN THE BLACK HILLS BY 1776.

THEY HAD FOUR MEMBER COUNCIL TO DELIBERATE AT TRIBAL GATHERINGS. THEY DEVELOPED A CEREMONY CALLED THE SACRED ARROWS WHEN THEY WAGED TRIBAL LEVEL WAR. BY 1800'S THEY REPLACED SEDENTARY LIFE WITH NOMADIC CULTURE AND TIPIS. THEY KILLED BISON AND COLLECTED WILD FRUITS AND BERRIES.

BY 1800 THEY HUNTED AND TRADED HORSES SOUTH TO THE ARKANSAS RIVER. THEY TRADED WITH SPANISH, FRENCH, AND OTHER NORTH AMERICAN TRIBES. UNTIL 1860'S THEY CONTINUED WARFARE WITH NEIGHBORING NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES. IN 1825 A TREATY OF HENRY ATKINSON AND AGENT BEN O FALLON ACCOMPANIED A MILITARY ESCORT OF 476 MEN. THEY NEGOTIATED TREATIES OF FRIENDSHIP AND TRADED WITH THE TRIBES.

THE TREATIES VOWED PERPETUAL FRIENDSHIP U.S. AND TRIBES. IT GAVE THE U.S. THE RIGHTS TO REGULATE TRADE. DURING THE GOLD RUSH, EMIGRANTS BROUGHT CHOLERA AND ABOUT 1/10TH OF THE MINERS DIED FROM IT. ABOUT 1/2 TO 2/3RDS OF CHEYENNE DIED FROM IT TOO.

IN 1856 CHEYENNE ATTACKED TRAVELERSAND THE US CALVALRY.

A CHEYENNE WOMAN HAS HIGHER STAUS IF SHE IS PART OF AN EXTENDED FAMILY WITH DISTINGUISHED ANCESTORS AND GETS ALONG WELL WITH OTHERS. AND HER STATUS INCREASES IF SHE IS SKILLED IN CRAFTS AND THEIR HISTORY.

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